WASHINGTON,
Oct. 17, 2000--Skylark Meats, Inc., an Omaha, Neb., firm, also doing
business as Mid America Refrigeration, is voluntarily recalling
approximately 47,000 pounds of ground beef that may be contaminated with E.
coli O157:H7, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and
Inspection Service announced today.
The ground beef products being recalled are:
- Boxes of LAURA'S LEAN BEEF with a label
that bears "96/LEAN" with the case code "000200." The box
contains six 8-pound packages, labeled "96 LLB GROUND ROUND."
- Boxes of LAURA'S LEAN BEEF with a label
that bears "92/LEAN" with the case code "000100." The box contains six
10-pound packages labeled "92/8LLB GROUND BEEF."
Each box and package is labeled with establishment number 4215 and a
sell by date of Sept. 29.
The ground beef was packed on Sept. 14 and
distributed to wholesale establishments in Arizona, Kentucky, Michigan,
North Carolina, Ohio, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia.
"Because
of the potential for foodborne illness, we want consumers to be aware of
the recall," said Thomas J. Billy, FSIS administrator. "Purchasers or
consumers of ground beef may wish to ask retail stores, restaurants, or
places where they consume ground beef if the product or meal contains the
recalled ground beef."
The problem was discovered through an FSIS
traceback of an E. coli 0157:H7 positive sample taken from a
Raleigh, N.C., supermarket reported two weeks ago.
E. coli O157:H7 is a potentially deadly bacteria that can cause
bloody diarrhea and dehydration. The very young, the elderly, and persons
with compromised immune systems are the most susceptible to foodborne
illness.
FSIS has received no reports of illnesses associated with consumption
of this product. Anyone concerned about an illness should contact a
physician.
Consumers with questions about the recall may contact Vince DeGrado,
corporate quality assurance manager, Skylark Meats, Inc., at (402)
592-0300. Media with questions may contact Jim Leonard, president, Skylark
Meats Inc., at (402) 592-0300.
Consumers with food safety questions can phone the toll-free USDA Meat
and Poultry Hotline at 1-800-535-4555. The hotline can be reached from 10
a.m. to 4 p.m. (Eastern Time) Monday through Friday, and recorded food
safety messages are available 24 hours a day.
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